Camping has been become increasingly more popular in recent years. Camping itself may take many forms. These forms range from backpacking with minimal impact to full scale recreational vehicles with all of the comforts of home. One intermediate form of camping that has greatly grown is the use of tent trailers. Tent trailers are compact towed trailers that either pop-up or fold-out to form sleeping and/or living quarters. There have been numerous different designs of these types of tent trailers in the past that are able to be converted from an erect tent position to a compact towing configuration.
One problem with the previous tent trailer designs is the lack of storage capacity. Once these tent trailers have been converted to the towing position, there is little or no room for the storage of large items. This has particularly become a problem in recent years with the increased use of recreational items at campsites. Often, it is necessary or desirable to bring along extensive items, particularly if there are numerous parties involved, if there is an extended stay planned, or if a particular planned activity requires large items. This can range from camping supplies, hunting supplies or other items.
One example of this problem is the use of all terrain vehicles, motorcycles, snowmobiles, personal watercraft or bicycles. Many recreational areas promote the use of such items at or near popular camping areas. Also, these items are frequently used for hunting, fishing and other activities.
The transporting of these items is frequently an issue with tent trailers. Common tent trailers have no capacity for storing these items. Thus, it is necessary to transport these items in the back of a pick-up which greatly reduces the people and storage capacity of the vehicle, or bring additional vehicles to pull a trailer or otherwise transport these items.
One attempt to solve this problem is to secure the items on the top deck of a tent trailer while it is in the towing configuration. An example of this attempt is illustrated in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2003/01 84055 and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,739,617. Mounting apparatus are provided on the upper deck of a tent trailer to secure ATVs or other large items.
Another attempt to solve this problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,722,726 issued to Parmer. This patent discloses a toy-hauling tent trailer that provides an interior cargo space in both the stowed and erected positions of the tent. The roof is raised upward with side panels that swing up or out to form side extensions to the tent.
Another problem that arises with many of these previous tent trailers is the difficulty in raising the tent. Often there are complicated bracing systems that are necessary to configure before the tent is usable as quarters.
Another problem is the lack of head space in the side compartment regions. There typically is only enough room to sit up at best.
Thus there is presently a need for a tent trailer that combines living and sleeping quarters with storage capacity.